Srinagar, May 29 (IANS) A junior officer of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) died inside a camp on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district while a youth was found dead in Kulgam district.

Police said that an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the CRPF died after falling unconscious at a camp in Zainapora area of Shopian district today.

The ASI, posted at the Horticulture Camp in Zainapora area suddenly collapsed inside the camp.

“He was immediately taken to the Community Health Centre (CHC) Zainapora, where doctors declared him brought dead on arrival.

“The deceased was a resident of Rajbagh area of Kathua district. Police have taken cognisance of the incident and started further proceedings”, police said.

In another incident, a 25-year-old youth was found dead at his residence in Chimmer area of Kulgam district.

The deceased, a mechanic by profession and a graduate, was found hanging inside his home.

“After completion of medico-legal formalities and postmortem examination, the body was handed over to the family for last rites. Police took cognisance of the incident and started further investigation”, a police officer said.

While the exact reason for the youth’s death in Kulgam is still being investigated, it must be mentioned that suicides by young people are becoming a major cause of concern in Kashmir.

Suicides by youngsters in Kashmir have reached critical levels, with suicide ranking as the fourth most prevalent cause of mortality for those aged between 15 to 29 in the region.

Official records show a stark rise in such attempts as suicide cases in the Kashmir Valley increased from 472 in 2020 to 586 in 2021.

The situation is driven by a complex interplay of sociopolitical and economic factors including drug abuse and addiction. Substance abuse is a major contributor, with approximately 4.6 per cent of the population using opioid substances.

Roughly two-thirds of drug users began at a very young age, usually between ages 11 to 20.

Mental health distress due to long term exposure to violence and sociopolitical unrest has severely impacted mental health. An estimated 45 per cent of the adult population suffers from mental distress, including depression (41 per cent), anxiety (26 per cent), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (19 per cent).

Economic pressures due to high unemployment rate and “shattered dreams” due to intense competition for academic and job opportunities are significant triggers for the youth.

Socio-cultural constraints including stigma surrounding drug abuse and mental health often prevents victims from seeking help. Additionally, family-related issues and “love affairs gone wrong” are frequently cited in local reports as reason for suicide.

In addition to the youth found hanging in Kulgam district today, just three days ago, a 24-year-old jumped into the River Jhelum in Srinagar city.

–IANS

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